This is a perennial aquatic plant with floating leaves. The flower and leaf stalks are 50-350 cm long, issuing from the rootstalk on the bottom soil. It differs from the small water-lily by the rounded – instead of the rectangular – cup base and flowers twice as large – 20-25 cm across. In contrast to small water-lilies, these flowers do not float on the surface, but protrude above it on the thick flower stalks.
It is mainly spread in the south of chernozem, including the downstream Volga and Don. It is very rare up north, encountered in lakes and bayous, sometimes forming vast beds. It flowers May through August.
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